Algemeiner covered B'nai B'rith International speaking out against AJ+'s assertion that Dima al-Wawi, a 12-year-old Palestinian girl, was detained in Israel without probable cause. Al-Wawi was arrested for attempting to stab an Israeli security guard in the West Bank near Hebron.

“This video story is incomplete and should be regarded as anti-Israel propaganda,” said B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman, adding that his organization “condemns AJ+ for not providing accurate information to its followers.”

A major Jewish organization sharply criticized a video accusing Israel of detaining a Palestinian girl without reasonable grounds, The Algemeiner has learned.

B’nai B’rith International expressed “outrage” that the video — posted on Facebook by the self-described “global news community” AJ+, whose parent company is Al Jazeera Media Network –omitted the complete story of 12-year-old Dima al-Wawi arrest and incarceration.

AJ+ “sends a deceiving message, resulting in the take away that it’s acceptable to tell a supposed news story without all of the facts,” B’nai B’rith said.

In the video, al-Wawi is shown reunited with her family after spending two and a half months in an Israeli prison. A member of the Palestinian Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs is featured saying Israel is “an ugly state…that doesn’t respect childhood and violates Palestinian childhood.” The video fails to mention that al-Wawi was taken into custody on Feb. 9 for attempting to stab an Israeli security guard near Hebron in the West Bank.

“This video story is incomplete and should be regarded as anti-Israel propaganda,” said B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman, adding that his organization “condemns AJ+ for not providing accurate information to its followers.”

B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin added: “There are many different ways Palestinians have tried to delegitimize Israel. Some are in the form of protests, like the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, and others, like this one, are through the media. It is imperative for the world to realize that global antisemitism is growing, and that AJ+ is trying to pass off an anti-Israel agenda as news.”​B’nai B’rith International wrote a letter to AJ+ to complain about the video, but said it has not received a response.

Writing for his hometown paper The Keene Sentinel, Executive Vice President Daniel Mariaschin remembers his grade school teacher Annette Smith Phippard and reflects on his “gratitude to a young woman who demonstrated what one person can do to teach tolerance.”

Mariaschin recounts the time Mrs. Phippard asked him, the only Jew in the third grade, to explain Hanukkah to the class.

“For more than 40 years I have worked for organizations that promote tolerance and diversity and combat bigotry. There are many approaches to accomplishing these goals, but perfection seems not yet to be in our grasp; there is always more work to be done. Mrs. Phippard’s way was simple: ‘Danny, would you come in tomorrow and tell us about your holiday?’”

Earlier this month, my most memorable grade school teacher passed away. The news was jarring; the loss of a person connected to me largely by memories of decades past, as well as it being a reminder of one’s own mortality.

Annette Smith Phippard, in her closing months at what was then Keene Teachers College, was the student teacher in the 2nd grade at Mount Caesar School in Swanzey, and then, the next year, our full-time 3rd-grade teacher. I remember her telling the class before winter vacation that when she came back, she would no longer be “Miss Smith, but Mrs. Phippard.” I think all the boys in the class who understood that she was about to be married were deeply disappointed.

She was young and energetic, and, as I recall, smiling most of the time, notwithstanding the more-than-occasional need to be stern with 7- and 8-year-olds. My sense was, almost all of the kids in the class liked her.

That would have been the end of the story were it not for one event that had a tremendous impact on my life, to this day. I was the oldest of three Jewish students in the school, and the only one in my 3rd-grade class. One day she asked me to come up to her desk and told me she knew that the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah was the next day, and would like me to tell the class about it the following day.

I nearly collapsed.

At that age, you really don’t want to stand out from your classmates, especially with Christmas coming. How could I possibly convey the story of Judah Maccabee and the miracle of the lamp oil burning for eight days, not one, in a world of Santa Claus, holiday carols and Christmas trees, one of which was right there in our classroom?

I went home and told my parents what the teacher had asked me, kind of hoping that I’d be let off the hook with a “if you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do it.”

My parents were proud Jews, and imbued that pride in my sisters and me. So my mother thought it was a great idea, reminded me that I should be proud to tell the story, and both parents prepped me a little.

Well, I did tell the story, and have no recollection of what I actually said. What I do remember is that Mrs. Phippard, whom I assume had not had very much contact with Jews (she hailed from Laconia), actually thought about celebrating the diversity in her classroom, notwithstanding my being a minority of one. That she even considered such a thing amazes me to this day.

For years, I had been trying to locate her, in pre-Internet days and now, in the time of Google. I wanted, over all these years, to thank her for recognizing that I was of another religion, and had my own customs, and wouldn’t it be good for the other students — all Christian — to know that.

Periodically I checked what passes for phone directory lists online, and ultimately found two numbers, both of which were out of service. I saw her name listed in New Hampshire and in Florida, but could never make the connection. I found a reference to Mrs. Phippard’s daughter, but that phone number didn’t connect, either.

About a year and a half ago, I told the story to my niece, then in high school. She suggested that we try Facebook. She found that the daughter had a Facebook page, and wrote to her, saying that I was a former student, and was trying to re-connect with my grade school teacher.

Months passed, and we heard nothing. I was more or less resigned that, with the passing of time, the chance to say thank you in person would slip away. And then, a call from my niece. Did I remember the Facebook inquiry of Mrs. Phippard’s daughter? My heart pounded. “Her daughter just wrote me,” my niece went on, “Mrs. Phippard passed away three days ago.”

Her daughter explained that the message to her must have been blocked, and that she had only now come across it, and wanted me to know the news.

My search had ended disappointingly, but not my gratitude to a young woman who demonstrated what one person can do to teach tolerance. And in asking me to tell the Hanukkah story, it also boosted my own confidence and pride in being different. It was a simple act; my guess is, Mrs. Phippard didn’t see that what she did was anything special, only the right thing to do.

For more than 40 years I have worked for organizations that promote tolerance and diversity and combat bigotry. There are many approaches to accomplishing these goals, but perfection seems not yet to be in our grasp; there is always more work to be done. Mrs. Phippard’s way was simple: “Danny, would you come in tomorrow and tell us about your holiday?”

Over the years, I have told this story many times. Mrs. Phippard’s passing reminds me that one person can surely make a difference in your life. In my eyes, for what she did, she was a giant.​As Jewish custom says: May her memory always be for a blessing.

In March, B'nai B'rith International honored David Jacobson and Chicago Jewish Funerals with the Distinguished Achievement Award, given to recognize the accomplishments of key community members.

On the CFJ website, the event was described as: “It was an event to behold. Hundreds of friends, community leaders, clergy, and family came to honor David Jacobson and Chicago Jewish Funerals hosted by B’nai B’rith at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel … B’nai B’rith chose David to be honored simply because of his vast and generous achievements in the Jewish community.”

It was an event to behold. Hundreds of friends, community leaders, clergy, and family came to honor David Jacobson and Chicago Jewish Funerals hosted by B’nai B’rith at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel.

B’nai B’rith chose David to be honored simply because of his vast and generous achievements in the Jewish community. Few in the community deserve this honor more than David and Chicago Jewish Funerals. The faithful staff was all present adorned in their signature colorful ties.

A special guest, Talia, David’s eldest daughter, flew in from Israel and surprised all to be with her Dad. His son, Gabriel, still serving in the Israel Defense Forces, and Talia made a fun movie expressing their love and pride for all to watch at the event. Ruby-Sage, his youngest daughter led the beginning prayer with Talia and Rosalind Jacobson, David’s mother.

Michael Lorge, a community leader in his own right and special friend, was Chair Person who helped make the evening a resounding success.

A moving and heartwarming tribute was delivered by one of David’s best friends and colleagues, Stopher Bartol, Chairman of Legacy.com. He spoke of the hopes and struggles they both shared starting their new businesses. A bond of strength developed for many years. David’s father-in-law, Dr. Donald H. Greenberg, flew in from Arizona along with his wife to also offer words of tribute. Iris, David’s wife sang a beautiful tribute song.

The executive vice-president, Daniel S. Mariaschin of B’nai B’rith, was impressed by the Chicago turnout and for the achievements of the honoree. He spoke of the long history and the unyielding strength of this very international organization.

Finally, David Jacobson got up to speak. Finally, all silverware put down, clinking glasses stopped and a hush fell upon the audience. All eyes riveted upon David as he walked to the podium.

David spoke from his heart as he always does. With love and humor. One cannot dismiss his devotion to his family and friends and his singular mission of helping people at their most vulnerable time. As one looked around and viewed the audience, eyes were glistening with joy for a man they have known and loved. A beautiful moment. A proud moment that will last a lifetime.​And, that’s the way it should be.

﻿In a letter to the Department of Education, the House of Representatives Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, members of Congress "sounded the alarm about a troubling surge in anti-Semitism on American college campuses."

In the press release accompanying the letter, B'nai B'rith International is listed among the organizations that support the letter and are actively fighting anti-Semitism and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movements on campuses across the country.

The Jerusalem Post ran an article detailing the anti-Israel motions authorized by UNESCO's executive board, the biggest of which ignores Jewish ties to the Western Wall. In the article, B'nai B'rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin are quoted.

Resolution refers to Temple Mount area solely as Al-Aksa Mosque/Al-Haram Al Sharif, except for two references to the Western Wall Plaza that were put in parenthesis.

UNESCO's Executive Board in Paris on Friday adopted a resolution whose language ignored Jewish ties to the holy religious site of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall area in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The broad ranging resolution condemned Israeli actions in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. But the resolution focused in large part on Israeli actions with regard to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall Plaza.

All three major monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christian and Islam — consider the Temple Mount to be a holy site.

But the UNESCO resolution referred to the Temple Mount area solely as the Al-Aksa Mosque/Al-Haram Al Sharif, except for two references to the Western Wall Plaza that were put in parenthesis.

The text also referred to the plaza area by the Western Wall as the Al-Buraq Plaza.

Last October, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization backed away from reclassifying the Western Wall as solely a Muslim holy site. This spring it simply used language that almost solely referred to it as such.

April’s resolution did reaffirm, however, that the Mughrabi Ascent that starts at the Western Wall plaza is an integral and inseparable part of Al-Aksa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif.

The resolution called for on Israel to restore the situation on the Temple Mount to what it had been prior to September 2000, when the Second Intifada broke out. At that time, according to the resolution, the Jordan Wakf full control of the Al-Aksa Mosque/Al-Haram Al Sharif to include work on maintenance and restoration as well as regulating access.

The site is under the full authority, but not full control, of the Islamic Wakf.

UNESCO called on Israel not to restrict Muslim worshipers from accessing the Al-Aksa Mosque site and condemned the violence that occurred there in the fall, but solely focused on Israeli actions in those incidents and not on the violence of the Muslim rioters at the site.

It condemned Israeli plans to build a prayer space for Women of the Wall by Robinson’s Arch, although it did not mention the group by name.

The resolution also charged that Israel had planed “Jewish fake graves” in other Muslim cemeteries located on Wakf property east and south of the Al-Aksa mosque.

The 58-member board approved the resolution 19 with 33 votes in favor, six against and 17 abstention. Two countries, Ghana and Turkmenistan were absent all together.

Those countries who opposed it outright were: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

France, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Russia and Slovenia were among those countries who supported the resolution.

A second resolution that more globally condemned Israeli actions, passed with 45 votes in favor, 1 vote against and 11 abstentions.

The Foreign Ministry had not response to the vote. B’nai Brith International President Gary P. Saltzman said that, “With this resolution, UNESCO has seemingly lowered itself to the depths of bizarre conspiracy theories.

“These one-sided resolutions are being used to further the Palestinian narrative, which only prolongs the conflict and which, once again, speaks to the continuing bias of the U.N. and its agencies,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said.

WOODBRIDGE >> Some 380 families in the region who may not be able otherwise to eat kosher for the Passover holiday, which begins Friday at sundown, will get the proper matzo, gefilte fish, macaroons and more, thanks to food packages put together and distributed Sunday through the region’s leadership ofB’nai B’rith International.

The organization’s Project H.O.P.E. oversees the undertaking that had volunteers young and old packing and grouping bags like a well-oiled machine out of the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven for folks from New Haven to Greenwich.

Now in its 40th year, the program brings a smile to many faces in need, said B’nai B’rith leader Harold Miller, who has been in charge of the program in this region for more than 25 years.

“When you see the smiles and hear the ‘thank-yous’ there’s no substitute for that,” said Miller, who also plays Santa Claus at the Veterans hospital in West Haven Christmas Eve.

“Once you get into the mode of community service, it’s a family thing,” Miller said. His wife Bobbie, a guidance counselor at Amity Middle School in Orange and son Steven, an actor, were among the volunteers.

The need has remained steady through the decades, he said, noting 135 families in New Haven would receive the packages, 100 in Bridgeport, 15 in Greenwich, 30 in New London and in other communities.

The money for the items come from fundraising, including donations from groups such as the Masons, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, New Haven Jewish Federation, the federation of Waterbury and from “giving” individuals, Miller said.

Passover marks the Jews’ freedom from slavery and being able to leave Egypt where they were enslaved. The Jews were freed after 10 plagues were brought upon Egypt, each harsher than the previous one. The last plague was the slaying of the first born.

When the pharaoh finally let the people go, they had to leave right away — some 600,000 — so there was no chance for the mothers to finish baking their bread. The bread didn’t have a chance to rise because they had to leave.

To commemorate that, during Passover, there is no bread, rolls, cake or other leavened products allowed. The food eaten during the holiday must be kosher for Passover, meaning more restrictions than everyday kosher food.

The Algemeiner quoted Executive Vice President Daniel Mariaschin harshly criticizing presidential candidate Bernie Sanders for claiming more than 10,000 people died in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge.

“… Let’s not even start with the wild inaccuracy of his number. Let’s talk about the fact that he didn’t even mention Hamas’ use of the population it rules in Gaza as human shields in those hospitals and apartment buildings he was referring to. Nor did he point out that Israel sent unprecedented warnings to the civilian population in Gaza to evacuate areas it was going to target, by dropping leaflets, sending emails and making phone calls – a practice unique to Israel during wartime.”Click here to read the full article on Algemeiner.com

American Jewish leaders decried an allegation about Israel made by Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders during a meeting with the editorial board of the New York Daily News last Friday.

Responding to Sanders’ “recollection” that “over 10,000 innocent people were killed in Gaza” – during Operation Protective Edge, Israel’s war against Hamas in the summer of 2014 — when “a whole lot of apartment houses were leveled” and “hospitals… bombed,” the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) and B’nai B’rith told The Algemeiner on Thursday why they were so incensed.

“The road to Senator Sanders’ repetition of this outrageous slander started with Hamas lies and the failure of an intimidated media in Gaza to do little but publish the original blood libel in their dispatches and mouth them on air,” SWC Associate Dean Rabbi Abraham Cooper said. “But that is no excuse for a veteran senator, running for the presidency of the United States, who always had access to the real story. Secondly, his narrative doesn’t include the thousands of rockets fired at Israeli civilians from Gaza, and Hamas’ ongoing strategy of using its civilian infrastructure as a shield against Israel.”

Cooper was referring to the terrorist organization’s inflated death-toll numbers, and its use of populated apartment buildings, hospitals and even UN-run schools as bases for weapons caches and rocket-launching pads – both to prevent Israel from attacking the sites and to incur civilian casualties to present as statistics for foreign consumption.He called on Sanders — who also told the Daily News, “I do believe and I don’t think I’m alone in believing that Israel’s force was more indiscriminate than it should have been” — to “immediately acknowledge that he made a huge error and apologize to the people of Israel.”

B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin was equally harsh in his criticism of the candidate.

“It appears that Sanders has accepted the Palestinian narrative on the Gaza war whole cloth,” he told The Algemeiner. “But let’s not even start with the wild inaccuracy of his number. Let’s talk about the fact that he didn’t even mention Hamas’ use of the population it rules in Gaza as human shields in those hospitals and apartment buildings he was referring to. Nor did he point out that Israel sent unprecedented warnings to the civilian population in Gaza to evacuate areas it was going to target, by dropping leaflets, sending emails and making phone calls – a practice unique to Israel during wartime.”

By failing to provide the context, Mariaschin said, Sanders was presenting the Hamas narrative, something that is “unacceptable.”

“We have had enough problems on this score without presidential candidates engaging in discourse that is full of wild inaccuracies on what happened during Operation Protective Edge. He should have educated himself before speaking about it, and it is now important that he do so for the future.”​Sanders, he said, “should issue not only a correction, but an apology.”